Overview:
The RN Education Specialist is a Nursing Professional Development Practitioner working in the Organizational Development & Learning Department. Designs, delivers, and evaluates learning experiences across orientation, competency, continuing education, and change initiatives using instructional design, organizational development, and performance consulting methods. Supports regulatory readiness and patient safety through evidence-based education, simulation, and collaboration with leaders and interdisciplinary teams including soft skills, clinical skills and electronic documentation. Demonstrates flexibility with assignments within professional scope/duties/licensure.
As a salaried professional, you may be expected to work above your FTE as needed.
Essential Duties
- Instructional design & delivery: Design, develop, and deliver instructor-led and virtual learning, e-learning/WBT, job aids, and reference materials using evidence-based instructional design practices; align content to role-based workflows and competency expectations.
- Orientation, onboarding & residency: Facilitates transition to practice for clinical roles, Nurse Residency, new employee orientation; coordinate learning pathways, assess completion, and document outcomes; support competency validation processes.
- Performance consulting & needs assessment: Partner with leaders to assess performance gaps, identify root causes, learning needs assessment and recommend solutions (training and non-training); measure effectiveness using learning and operational metrics and implement improvements.
- Organizational development & change support: Support adoption of new processes, technology, and practice standards using change management and organizational development approaches; contribute to stakeholder readiness planning and reinforcement strategies.
- Simulation, skills validation & patient safety: Coordinate and conduct clinical skills labs, simulations, and mock codes; facilitate debriefs, summarize findings, and collaborate on action plans to improve safety and reliability.
- Regulatory, accreditation & evidence-based practice: Develop and maintain education that supports IDPH/CMS, accreditation, and internal policy requirements; integrate current evidence, standards of care, and quality/safety priorities to maintain survey readiness.
- Consultation & partnership: Provide consultation and coaching to promote patient-centered care, professional development, and a positive learning culture; participate in committees and interdisciplinary workgroups as an education resource.
- Learning operations: Support scheduling, classroom/training logistics, learning records, and equipment needs to ensure consistent delivery and documentation of education activities.
- Education representatives, rounding & completion monitoring: Serve as education representatives for assigned areas; round in assigned areas to ensure educational materials remain current and accessible; identifies learning needs and creates education plans, in addition to monitoring education completion and follow up with leaders/teams.
Non-Essential Duties:
- Participate in special projects, events, pilots, and task forces as assigned to support organizational priorities.
- Provide cross-coverage for other education team functions during high-volume periods or vacancies as needed.
This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.
Responsibilities:
Required Experience
- Minimum of five (5) years of nursing experience required
- Demonstrated ability to teach, facilitate, and coach adult learners; strong presentation and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate logistics, and maintain accurate documentation/records.
- Ability to obtain and maintain role-specific certifications/credentials as assigned within an established time period (e.g., learning platform, content authoring tools, clinical/operational competencies, or enterprise application training credentials when applicable).
Preferred Experience
- Minimum of two years of nursing experience and healthcare training, performance consulting, organizational development experience preferred
- Experience developing and delivering training programs, including virtual and in-person formats.
- Familiarity with EHR systems (Epic preferred or PointClickCare), workflows and healthcare workflows.
- Experience in clinical education, instructional design, performance improvement/consulting, or organizational development preferred.
- Ability to analyze performance gaps, develop measurable learning objectives, and evaluate effectiveness.
Required Licensure/Education
- Graduate of approved school of nursing, Associate's Degree in Nursing required.
- Current IL RN license
Preferred Education
- BSN or Greater
- Certifications such as AHA CPR Instructor (preferred) and/or specialty certification relevant to role scope.
- Certification within specialty or Nursing Professional Development from ANPD
This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.
Our Commitment to You:
Riverside Healthcare offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and nationally rated employee well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more so your journey at and away from work is remarkable. Our Total Rewards package includes:
Compensation
- Base compensation within the positions pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
- Premium pay such as shift differential, on-call
- Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
Benefits - .5 to 1.0 FTE
- Paid Time Off programs
- Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
- Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
- Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
- Educational Assistance Program
Benefits - .001 to .49 FTE:
- Paid Leave Hours accrued as you work
Employee Health Requirements
Exposure/Sensory Requirements:
Exposure to:
- Chemicals: Refer to MSDS sheets.
- Video Display Terminals: Average
- Blood and Body Fluids: Minimal (only when temporarily covering a unit).
- TB or Airborne Pathogens: Minimal (only when temporarily covering a unit).
Sensory requirements (speech, vision, smell, hearing, touch):
- Speech: Needed for presentations/training, telephone communication, facilitate meetings.
- Vision: Needed to read memos and literature, determine the quality and use of visual aids, HIS information and CPR training.
- Smell: Helpful to note presence of electrical/fire safety.
- Hearing: Needed for telephone communication, meetings and listening to employee concerns, determining the quality and use of audio aids, HIS information and CPR training.
- Touch: Needed to write, computer entry, filing, CPR training.
Activity/Lifting Requirements:
Percentage of time during the normal workday the employee is required to:
- Sit: 40%
- Twist: 1%
- Stand: 35%
- Crawl: 0%
- Walk: 20%
- Kneel: 1%
- Lift: 1%
- Drive: 0%
- Squat: 0%
- Climb: 0%
- Bend: 1%
- Reach above shoulders: 1%
The weight required to be lifted each normal workday according to the continuum described below:
- Up to 10 lbs: Frequently
- Up to 20 lbs: Occasionally
- Up to 35 lbs: Occasionally
- Up to 50 lbs: Occasionally
- Up to 75 lbs: Not Required
- Up to 100 lbs: Not Required
- Over 100 lbs: Not Required
Describe and explain the lifting and carrying requirements. (Example: the distance material is carried; how high material is lifted, etc.):
Maximum consecutive time (minutes) during the normal workday for each activity:
- Sit: 240
- Twist: 0
- Stand: 180
- Crawl: 0
- Walk: 60
- Kneel: 0
- Lift: 10
- Drive: 0
- Squat: 0
- Climb: 0
- Bend: 0
- Reach above shoulders: 0
Repetitive use of hands (Frequency indicated):
- Simple grasp up to 10 lbs. Normal weight: 5-10#often
- Pushing & pulling Normal weight: 5-10#occasionally
- Fine Manipulation: Computer keyboard, typing, filing, hands-on demonstrations.
Repetitive use of foot or feet in operating machine control: None
Environmental Factors & Special Hazards:
Environmental Factors (Time Spent):
- Inside hours: 8
- Outside hours : 0
- Temperature: Normal Range
- Lighting: Average
- Noise levels: Average
- Humidity: Normal Range
- Atmosphere:
Special Hazards:
Protective Clothing Required: Germ barrier during CPR instruction. Gloves during cleaning of mannequins.
Pay Range:
USD $45.42 - USD $60.84 /Hr